On two chilly Saturday mornings in January, seventeen dedicated volunteers from Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium bundled up, grabbed their gloves, and headed out into the cold, all for the sake of wild western toads.

Western toads are currently identified as a Candidate for listing as Endangered or Protected in Washington State. Once found throughout much of the state, their populations have declined in many areas due to a combination of habitat loss and degradation. Today, Pierce County is home to just five known western toad breeding sites, making every remaining habitat critically important.

One of those sites is Toad Pond, located behind the scenes at Northwest Trek’s Conservation Center property. This unassuming pond serves as a vital breeding habitat for western toads, highlighting how important protected, well-managed spaces are for the species’ survival.

“This pond may look small, but it’s incredibly important for western toads in our region,” said Rachael Mueller, Conservation Program Coordinator. “Maintaining the right habitat conditions here directly supports one of the last remaining breeding populations in Pierce County.”

Western toads prefer water bodies with shallow, sandy bottoms and little to no vegetation. Over the past several years, however, vegetation growth in and around Toad Pond has begun to alter those conditions, potentially impacting toad breeding activity if left unmanaged.

Enter the toad heroes… also known as our amazing volunteers.

For more than fifteen years, volunteers have played a crucial role in monitoring amphibians and maintaining a toad-friendly habitat at Toad Pond. On those chilly January mornings, they removed invasive vegetation like blackberry bushes from around the pond. It’s an essential first step toward restoring ideal breeding conditions and preparing the area for the planting of native species that will provide cover for migrating toads and newly emerged toadlets.

For many volunteers, the work is both hands-on and deeply meaningful.

“Clearing vegetation to create pathways to the pond really brought home how brief and important the breeding window is for western toads,” volunteer Marta Andreacchio said. “Knowing they need sun-exposed areas to lay their eggs made every shovel of dirt feel purposeful. Working alongside others who care just as much about protecting their habitat for the future made the experience really special.”

“The dedication of our volunteers is what makes projects like this possible,” Mueller added. “Their hard work helps western toads and also supports other amphibians, reptiles, birds, and countless other species that call the area home.”

A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers who braved the cold to support conservation at Northwest Trek. If you’re interested in joining future projects, visit our volunteer page.